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243-acre Middle Harbor fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (100% measured, 100% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 84 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Traced from the shoreline, Middle Harbor runs 243 acres with 4.8 miles of edge, with 5 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.2) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 0% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 1.4 mi end to end and 0.6 mi across at its widest. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Inner Harbor, 1 mi north of here.
Spring puts california halibut in skinny water — 5 to 30 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 40 ft, wintering in 15 to 60 ft. Spring california halibut concentrate at Long Beach Channel channel edge, a prime-rated channel edge around 30 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A paddletail dragged on sand or a bucktail + strip covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Long Beach Channel channel edge (30 ft) | Swimbait on 1/2-1 oz head (drifted), Hair raiser jig |
| Summer | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Long Beach Channel channel edge (30 ft) | Paddletail dragged on sand, Bucktail + strip |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (37 ft) | Heavier jig + swimbait (channels), Drifted bucktail |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | midday | Long Beach Channel channel edge (30 ft) | Slow-dragged swimbait in deep channels |
Spring barred sand bass on Middle Harbor hold shallow, usually 8 to 60 ft. They move out to 9 to 84 ft in summer and finish the year down in 14 to 84 ft. Put NOAA charted mole first on the milk run — a jetty / riprap near 30 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a swimbait on 1/2–1 oz head or a vertical metal jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 60 ft | dawn | NOAA charted mole (30 ft) | 3-5 inch paddletail, Lead-head grub |
| Summer | 9 to 84 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted mole (30 ft) | Swimbait on 1/2-1 oz head, Vertical metal jig |
| Fall | 10 to 84 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (37 ft) | Heavy paddletail, Compact vertical jig |
| Winter | 14 to 84 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (24 ft) | Slow vertical jig, Bottom-crawled swimbait |
Spring puts spotted sand bass in skinny water — 3 to 30 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 40 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 55 ft. Long Beach Channel channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for winter spotted sand bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A weedless swimbait or a small jerkbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | 3 inch paddletail, Creature bait on a light jig |
| Summer | 3 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | Weedless swimbait, Small jerkbait |
| Fall | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted pier (4 ft) | Paddletail, Suspending jerkbait |
| Winter | 8 to 55 ft | midday | Long Beach Channel channel edge (30 ft) | Slow-rolled paddletail, Drop-shot minnow |
In spring, kelp bass run shallow here, mostly 5 to 55 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 70 ft before dropping to 10 to 84 ft for winter. Summer kelp bass concentrate at NOAA charted mole, a prime-rated jetty / riprap around 30 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a surface iron or a weedless paddletail most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 55 ft | dawn | NOAA charted mole (30 ft) | Weedless swimbait, Baitfish jerkbait |
| Summer | 4 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted mole (30 ft) | Surface iron, Weedless paddletail |
| Fall | 6 to 80 ft | dawn | NOAA charted mole (30 ft) | Paddletail, Compact surface iron |
| Winter | 10 to 84 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (37 ft) | Slow swimbait, Vertical jig |
Start shallow in spring: california scorpionfish sit in 11 to 84 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 7 to 84 ft covers summer, 12 to 84 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Dangerous NOAA charted wreck, a wreck in about 24 ft of water that rates prime for california scorpionfish in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around midday and the evening. Throw a vertical metal jig or a heavy paddletail until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 11 to 84 ft | dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (24 ft) | Small lead-head jig, Compact metal jig |
| Summer | 7 to 84 ft | midday & dusk | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (24 ft) | Vertical metal jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 9 to 84 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (24 ft) | Heavy vertical jig, Bucktail + squid |
| Winter | 12 to 84 ft | midday | Dangerous NOAA charted wreck (24 ft) | Slow metal jig, Bottom jig + strip bait |
Middle Harbor carries 32 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Long Beach Channel channel edge, about 78 ft down.
Access data: City of Long Beach — Launch Ramps. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for California waters are set by the California DFW (Southern Region ocean fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Middle Harbor specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official California fishing regulations →
Middle Harbor is about 84 ft (26 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target california halibut, barred sand bass, spotted sand bass, kelp bass, california scorpionfish on Middle Harbor.
Long Beach Channel channel edge is the top-rated area: a channel edge in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for spotted sand bass in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For california halibut, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Middle Harbor is regulated by the California DFW (Southern Region ocean fishing). Check the official California regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Inner Harbor 1 mi · Queensway Bay 1 mi · San Pedro Bay 2 mi · Lake Hemet 88 mi · Isabella Lake 134 mi · Kern River 151 mi · Colorado River (Palo Verde / Cibola) 210 mi, AZ · Colorado River (Yuma Division) 219 mi, AZ · Colorado River (Imperial Division) 222 mi, AZ · Pine Flat Lake 224 mi · Colorado River (below Davis Dam) 224 mi, AZ · Colorado River (Laguna Division) 225 mi, AZ
See how Middle Harbor stacks up: best california halibut lakes in California
Browse all California fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 100% measured, 0% source-interpolated). How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.